Forgotten Disease: Illnesses Transformed in Chinese Medicine (Studies of the Wea

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Item specifics

Condition
Very Good
A book that has been read but is in excellent condition. No obvious damage to the cover, with the dust jacket included for hard covers. No missing or damaged pages, no creases or tears, and no underlining/highlighting of text or writing in the margins. May be very minimal identifying marks on the inside cover. Very minimal wear and tear. See all condition definitionsopens in a new window or tab
Seller Notes
“HARDCOVER Very Good - Crisp, clean, unread book with some shelfwear/edgewear, may have a remainder ...
ISBN
9781503602090
Category

About this product

Product Identifiers

Publisher
Stanford University Press
ISBN-10
1503602095
ISBN-13
9781503602090
eBay Product ID (ePID)
237439064

Product Key Features

Number of Pages
248 Pages
Publication Name
Forgotten Disease : Illnesses Transformed in Chinese Medicine
Language
English
Publication Year
2017
Subject
Nutrition, Podiatry, General, Asia / China, History
Type
Textbook
Author
Hilary A. Smith
Subject Area
Medical, History
Series
Studies of the Weatherhead East Asian Institute, Columbia University Ser.
Format
Hardcover

Dimensions

Item Height
0.8 in
Item Weight
16.3 Oz
Item Length
8.5 in
Item Width
6.9 in

Additional Product Features

Intended Audience
Scholarly & Professional
LCCN
2017-000968
Dewey Edition
23
Reviews
Forgotten Disease makes significant contributions not only to the history of Chinese medicine, but also to the general history of medicine in a globalizing era. Covering an impressive chronological sweep, Smith traces the multiple manifestations of foot qi from ancient to modern times. Even more rewarding, however, is the way the study resists the easy translation of 'jiaoqi' into a biomedical entity. Forgotten Disease thus stands as a stellar example of how historians of Asian medicine can decenter the West., Forgotten Disease makes significant contributions to the history of both Chinese medicine, and of medicine in a globalizing era. By resisting the easy translation of 'jiaoqi' into a biomedical entity, this book stands as a stellar example of how historians of Asian medicine can decenter the West., This fascinating, meticulous study of the unstable concept of foot qi provides a welcome perspective on Chinese medical thought, and highlights the pitfalls of retrospective diagnosis. It is a valuable contribution to the nuanced and deeper understanding of Asian medical traditions with broader lessons for all medical historians., The writing of the history of diseases has played a crucial but often invisible role in shaping Chinese medicine as we know it today. Forgotten Disease challenges the dominant historiography with great insights, enabling us to relate anew to the past and to reopen possibilities for further developing this living tradition.
Illustrated
Yes
Dewey Decimal
610.951
Table Of Content
Introduction 1. Foot Qi in Early Chinese Medicine 2. Competing for Medical Authority over Disease 3. Simplifying and Standardizing Disease 4. The Northerner's Dietary Disorder 5. Getting Rich and Getting Sick 6. Creating Beriberi in Meiji Japan 7. Foot Qi's Multiple Meanings in Modern East Asia Conclusion
Synopsis
Around the turn of the twentieth century, disorders that Chinese physicians had been writing about for over a millennium acquired new identities in Western medicine-sudden turmoil became cholera; flowers of heaven became smallpox; and foot qi became beriberi. Historians have tended to present these new identities as revelations, overlooking evidence that challenges Western ideas about these conditions. In Forgotten Disease , Hilary A. Smith argues that, by privileging nineteenth century sources, we misrepresent what traditional Chinese doctors were seeing and doing, therefore unfairly viewing their medicine as inferior. Drawing on a wide array of sources, ranging from early Chinese classics to modern scientific research, Smith traces the history of one representative case, foot qi, from the fourth century to the present day. She examines the shifting meanings of disease over time, showing that each transformation reflects the social, political, intellectual, and economic environment. The breathtaking scope of this story offers insights into the world of early Chinese doctors and how their ideas about health, illness, and the body were developing far before the advent of modern medicine. Smith highlights the fact that modern conceptions of these ancient diseases create the impression that the West saved the Chinese from age-old afflictions, when the reality is that many prominent diseases in China were actually brought over as a result of imperialism. She invites the reader to reimagine a history of Chinese medicine that celebrates its complexity and nuance, rather than uncritically disdaining this dynamic form of healing., Around the turn of the twentieth century, disorders that Chinese physicians had been writing about for over a millennium acquired new identities in Western medicine--sudden turmoil became cholera; flowers of heaven became smallpox; and foot qi became beriberi. Historians have tended to present these new identities as revelations, overlooking evidence that challenges Western ideas about these conditions. In Forgotten Disease , Hilary A. Smith argues that, by privileging nineteenth century sources, we misrepresent what traditional Chinese doctors were seeing and doing, therefore unfairly viewing their medicine as inferior. Drawing on a wide array of sources, ranging from early Chinese classics to modern scientific research, Smith traces the history of one representative case, foot qi, from the fourth century to the present day. She examines the shifting meanings of disease over time, showing that each transformation reflects the social, political, intellectual, and economic environment. The breathtaking scope of this story offers insights into the world of early Chinese doctors and how their ideas about health, illness, and the body were developing far before the advent of modern medicine. Smith highlights the fact that modern conceptions of these ancient diseases create the impression that the West saved the Chinese from age-old afflictions, when the reality is that many prominent diseases in China were actually brought over as a result of imperialism. She invites the reader to reimagine a history of Chinese medicine that celebrates its complexity and nuance, rather than uncritically disdaining this dynamic form of healing.
LC Classification Number
RC627.B45S45 2017

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